Marking machine



C. F. EATON MARKING MACHINE Dec. 7,` 1937.

Filed May 10, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet l Q J3 .Rw ,my n A w A r -\J, d v

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Dec. 7, 1937. c. F. EATON MAKING MACHINE :s sheets-sheet 2 Filed May 10, 1935 C. F. EATON MARKING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 10, 1935 4 w I'DEl-lm': W 02M ww. QN

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Patented Dec. 7, 1937 PATENT cEIpE MARKING MACHINE Charles F. Eaton, West Newbury, Mass., assigner, by mesne assignments, of one-half to North American Holding Corporation, Syracuse, N. Y., a corporation of New York, and one-half to Parshad Holding Corporation, Syracuse, N. Y., a corporation of New York v Application May 10, 1935, Serial No. 20,882

1 Claim.

This invention relates to an improved apparatus for marking shoe upper sections and similar pieces or blanks of sheet material.

In the manufacture of shoes, particularly womens shoes, it is customary to apply ornamental designs to the shoe uppers as by stitching. The ornamental designs are usually applied to the cut-out sections of the uppers before they are assembled, and in the case of stitching, the designs are first marked on 'the sections, such as the quarters or Vamps, and the markings are then followed in the stitching operation. For marking the design on a shoe upper `section or similar blankan embossing plate is commonly used, the desired design being formed by bosses or projections arranged in` rows or groups to delineateV the design. vBy placing the embossing plate, the blank to be marked, and a pigmented transfer sheet in superposed relation and subjecting them to pressure, the design corresponding to the arrangement of projections on the embossing plate is'transferred to the blank. An example of this method of marking is described in the Edwards Patent No. 1,639,332, dated August 16, 1927.

In transferring designs or markings in accordance with such procedures, considerable diflicultyl has'bcen encountered in providing a ne, distinct and readily removable marking on the blank or shoe upper section. For example, in cases where the marking consists of rows or converging rows of dots and/or dashes which delineate the design and serve as a guide for the stitching operation, one of two objectionable conditions usually exists, viz., either the markings are so blurred and heavy as not to afford an accurate guide for the precise location of the stitching or line of cut, or the markings are solight and indistinct as to be incapable of providing a reliable guide for the operator. Numerous attempts have been made to overcome these objectionable features, as by providing a pad or like piece of sheet material beneath the transfer sheet so as to afford a certain amount of resiliency, but in all such cases the marking applied to the material has been either indistinct by reason of failure to apply su'icient pressure to overcome the resiliency of the pad, or blurred, over-sized, andl difficult to remove when s-uicient pressure has been applied to cause a transfer of the mark- The use of stops to limit travel of the presshead against the bed plate has been proposed, but due to the variation in thickness of the average run of material to be marked, it has been found (Cl. lOl- 297) operation of my improved apparatus and will be apparent from a consideration of the following `description and accompanying drawings, wherem- Fig. 1 is a plan View of the work-bed with the transfer sheetin position thereon, but partly broken away for the purpose of illustration;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section through the machine shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3-3 of-Fig.2. 1, A Y

The embodiment chosen for the purpose of illustration comprises a base l having a centrally disposed upstanding tubular column 2, rectangular in cross section, which denes a socket 3. The column Y2 is provided with a pair of aligned circular holes adjacent to its upper end andv base I with the lugs disposed in the socket 3 and the pintles 4 extending into the openings therein, as shown in Fig. 3. In accordance with the present inventionV the work-bed 5 includes oneor more heating chambers beneath its upper surface and operative to maintain a predetermined temperature at the surface of the workbed. As here shown, by way of example, the work-bed preferably comprises a heavy metallic plate of appreciable thickness having a smooth flat top surface and a plurality of horizontally disposed heating chambers 3, here shown as four in number, each radiating substantially at right angles from and communicating with a centrally disposed vertically extending chamber 9 which opens at the under side of the work-bed between the lugsE and 1. The chambers 8 may be formed by drilling the plate 5 inwardly from its sides and ends, and the chamber 9 may be formed by drilling the under surfaceV ofthe plate inwardly between the lugs B and 1. The ends of the transverse chambers 8 are preferably closed by plugs Il) or the like means, as shown in Fig. 3.

An electric heating unit I I is disposed within each chamber 3 and these units are preferably connected to a thermostat I2 disposed in the chamber 9, the thermostat being connected by a cable I3 to a suitable source of current.

The temperature to be maintained at the surface o-f the work-bed will, of course, depend upon the character of the transfer sheet used in marking the blanks, that is, the composition of its pigmented surface. usual type of markings to shoe upper blanks a transfer sheet having a pigmented surface which comprises a wax binder having a softening point or range of the order of 110 to 115 F. is satisfactory and when using a sheet having a binder of this type the thermostat may be set to maintain a temperature capable of. softening the binder.

At the top of the column 2 and adjacent each corner are formed vertical sockets I each holding a coil spring I6, the lower end of which is seated against the bottom of the socket and the upper end of which bears against the under surface of the work-bed 5. Two such springs at each side of the axis of the pintles 4 are preferably provided and these springs normally and yieldingly hold the work-bed against pivotal movement on the base and in a substantially horizontal position.

Attached to the front edge of. the work-bed 5 by means of screws II (Fig. 1) is a bar I8 which extends at each end beyond the work-bed so as to provide a projection I9 at each end of the front side of the bed, each projection I9 being provided on its top side with an obliquely disposed socket Zll. In like manner a bar 22 (Figs. l and 2) is secured to the rear edge of the workbed by means of screws 2|, the opposite ends of the bar 22 projecting beyond each end of the work bed. The projecting ends 22a of the bar 22 are provided with circular holes 23 aligned with the bottom of the sockets at the corresponding projections at the front of the work-bed. Loosely mounted in the holes 23 and the sockets 2li are spindles 24 each of which is provided at its front end with a knob or hand wheel 25 by means of which the spindle may be manually rotated. Y

Each spindle 24 is formed near its middle with a longitudinal slot 26 which extends entirely through the spindle and into which the end of a transfer sheet may be inserted. The transfer sheet 2l' may be of any suitable thin sheet material, such as paper or fabric, impregnated or coated with a composition which comprises a pigment of a color which preferably contrasts with the color of the piece of sheet material to be marked and a thermoplastic or fusible binder such as parafne wax or like material. Each end of the transfer sheet 2'I is secured to one of the spindles 24, and upon rotating one or the other of the spindles the transfer sheet may be partially wound thereon into a roll, as indicated at 2S. The transfer sheet extends from one roll across the top of the work-bed 5 to the other roll with its pigmented surface facing upwardly or exposed so that the smooth, flat top surface of the work-bed serves as a rigid support or packing for the transfer sheet during the marking operation.

Either spindle 24 may be manually rotated and adjusted from time to time by the operator during the continuous use of the machine to shift the transfer sheet back and forth across the work-bed 5 and present fresh areas of the pig- For applying the mented surface to the work as required. As the transfer sheet is shifted back and forth across the work-bed the projections I9 and 22a serve as guides fo-r the edges of the sheet and prevent displacement of the sheet while it is being fed or adjusted.

in order to hold the spindles 24 against accidental rotative displacement during the use of the machine, a friction brake 29 is provided for each spindle (Fig. l). Each friction brake, as herein shown, consists of a flexible band looped about the end of the spindle 24 and having its opposite ends fastened to the spring 3B which is attached to the bracket arm 22. The spring 30 is normally under sufficient tension to apply a braking action between the brake band 29 and the spindle and thus prevent accidental rotation thereof.. When the transfer sheet 2'I becomes worn out or exhausted, it may be wound up on one of the spindles 24, and by shifting the front of the spindle from its socket 2i) it may be removed endwise through the brake band 29 and hole 23. f

A pair of spaced upwardly and rearwardly extending bracket arms 3I (Fig. 2) are bolted or,

otherwise secured to the top of the base I, and these arms support a horizontal pivot pintle 32, the axis of which is parallel to the axis of the pintles 4 and in approximately the same horizontal plane as the top of the work-bed 5. A platen 33 is pivotally mounted on the spindle 32 to swing toward and away from the work-bed 5. The platen comprises a body portion 34 having a generally rectangular form of substantially the same size and shape as the upper face of the work-bed 5 and a flat under surface to cooperate with the -dat surface of the work-bed. A layer 36 of a slightly resilient rubber or other suitable cushioning material is secured to the under surface of the platen by screws and cement or any other suitable means. Attached to the top ofthe body 34 of the platen are two upwardly and forwardly extending bracket arms 31, the forward ends of which support an operating handle (not` shown) by means of which the platen may be swung downwardly against the work-bed.

Pivotally connected to the platen 33 at 38 is aV lever 39 which constitutes one member of a toggle joint; the other member or link 4Il of the toggle joint is pivoted at its upper end at a point about midway of the length of the lever 39, as indicated at 4, and is pivoted at its lower end 42 on a bracket xed to the base of the machine. The lower arm of lever 39 is formed with a laterally projecting ear 43 having a hole through which the shank of a screw or eye-bolt 44 extends. A tension spring 46 is connected at one end to the eye 45 of the bolt 44 and at the opposite end to a hole 4l in the column 2 of the base. The spring 46 is normally under suflicient tension to hold the toggle members 39 and 4I in the position shown in Fig. 2, with the lower arm of the lever 39 bearing against a stop lug 48 xed on link 4I, in which position the platen 33 is held in elevated or open position. When the lower arm of lever 39 rests against the stop 48, the toggle joint is approximately straight, but when the platen 33 is swung downwardly to perform the marking operation, the spring 46 is stretched or extended and the instant the operator releases the handle the spring will return the platen to its open position, as shown in Fig. 2. The eye-bolt 44 is provided with a stop nut 49, the adjustment of which regulates the tension of spring 46 and the stop nut 49 may be secured in Cil ,section to be marked is then laid on the transfer sheet withY the grain sideV of the leather, or the finished side of the blank, in contact with the transfer sheet. An embossing or marking plate is then laid on the blank with the marking projections against the surface thereof and in proper registry with the portions of the blank to be marked. After having thus positioned the blank and marking plate, the operator swings the platen 33 downwardly so that it strikes the top surface of the marking plate, and then immediately releases his grip so that the platen swings upwardly away from the work-bed. The contact of the platen with the marking plate, although only for a fraction of a second, is nevertheless sucient to force the projections into the blank and at the same time to effect a slight transverse movement or lateral displacement of the marking plate, blank and transfer sheet relative to the work-bed 5. The simultaneous application of pressure to and the relative movement ofthe marking plate, blank and transfer sheet effects the transfer of the design delineated by the marking projections, to the surface of the leather or blank, the individual markings being fine and yet distinct and readily removable, thus affording an accurate guide for the operator during the stitching or cutting operation.

In marking a blank in accordance With the present invention the necessity of using great force or pressure in order to ensure a complete transfer of the marking to the blank is avoided as it is merely necessary to use a moderately light pressure in order to apply a fine distinct marking, due to the fact that the transfer of the marking is not primarily dependent upon the pressure applied, but rather upon the softened condition of the binder of the transfer sheet, which permits the small particles of pigment to be readily transferred by a very light pressure.

While I have herein shown and described one desirable embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that this disclosure is for the purpose of illustration and that various changes in shape, proportion and arrangement of parts, as well as the substitution of equivalent ele-- ments for' those herein shown and described may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claim.

I claim:

A marking machine of the class described, comprising a base, a Work-bed on the base, said Work-bed having a plurality of radially disposed heating chambers, a heating coil disposed in each chamber, the coils being collectively operable to maintain the surface of said work-bed at a predetermined temperature, and a platen movably mounted on the base to move toward and from the work-bed, theA work-bed being yieldingly mounted on the base so as to be capable of a slight lateral displacement with relation to the platen when the platen and the work-bed are pressed together with the work between them.

CHARLES F. EATON.` 

